BEST Singapore Chilli Crab (辣椒螃蟹) - (AFF - Singapore #2)

When one mention Singapore, who doesn't know Chilli crab? This popular seafood dish had been around since 1956. Fresh crabs stir-fried in a semi-thick. sweet, tangy, savory, tomato and chilli based sauce which will electrify your palate and satisfy your tastebuds.

Arguably one of Singapore's greatest culinary inventions. If you are a fan of seafood, this is one dish that you must try while you're in Singapore.

Don't get cheated by it's red and spicy look. Despite its name, chilli crab is NOT a very spicy dish.

The spicy and tangy sauce is made deliciously fragrant with rempah (spices) and lime or calamansi juice, while corn starch and egg ribbons are added to give the chilli crab dish the fluffy texture at the end of the cooking process. For extra oomph, order some fried mantou to scoop up the thick gravy, which will leave you hankering for more.

I adapted this recipe from Chef Master Classes on his World's BEST Singapore Chilli Crab Recipe, which he mentioned that his recipe is based on a food trip to Punggol Point, Singapore. I don't know how BEST this recipe would be. But by reading the recipe list, I think I wanna use this recipe as a reference. Also, Violet Oon is the brand ambassador of Singapore Food. So, her recipe as a guide will never go wrong I guess.

Ingredients
(Source : Chef Master Classes & Violet Oon's recipe, as a guide, with modification)

• 2 Mud Crabs or Meat Crabs (or Roe Crabs if you wish) - about 800g each
• 1 portion Rempah (Refer to below for recipe)
• 6 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Tau Cheo (fermented bean paste)
• 1½ tsp Corn Flour / Tapioca Flour + 1½ tbsp Water
• 5 tbsp Peanut Oil
• 1 cup Water (or more)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• some chinese parsley (garnishing)
• some chillies (garnishing)
• some spring onions (garnishing)

Accompaniment 

• Mantous (馒头)  from the supermarket frozen section, thawed. 
• Enough oil for deep-frying the Mantous (Mixture of 1 : 1 ratio of Butter + Peanut Oil)  

For the rempah (Spices)

• 6 Shallots
• 6 Garlic
• 5 Red Chillies
• 2 to 3 Bird Eye Chillies, depends on individual
• 2 Candle Nut
• 1 thumb sized Galangal (or replaced by Ginger if you don't have Galangal)
• ½ Green Lime, extract the juices (or use calamansi as alternative)
• 2 tbsp Belacan Powder (toast your own belacan if you can't find belacan powder)

To prepare the rempah : Put everything in the chopper and blitz away until fine texture is achieved.

To prepare the crab, I'd posted How to clean crabs video last month. Or, below photos shows you roughly how it is cleaned and prepared. And preparing crabs is NOT as difficult as what you imagined. Be COURAGEOUS!!!

Get everything ready before start cooking is the rule. Always remember. Cooking chilli crab is not difficult. But preparing needs time.

Cooking Method 

1. Heat oil in a wok until very hot. Fry rempah until fragrant. 
2. Add tau cheo, sugar, salt and tomato ketchup. Stir well. 
3. Add in crabs, stir well. Then, add water, stir, cover until crab shells turned bright red, indicating that the crab is cooked. 
4. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl, pour into the sauce at the side, gently mix well. Simmer for another 10 seconds, 
5. Heat off, dish up, garnish with coriander, spring onions and chillies. Serve with hot deep fried mantous.

This recipe is good. It's a little messy, but worth it for sure. And you can always vary the recipe to your taste. You want it sweeter? Spicier? It's up to you! :)

Max and I scarfed the whole plate of crabs down with all the mantous. It tastes so good with deep fried mantous and it is also good with a bowl of hot rice!

Yummmss!!! Definitely recommended!

Do share with me if you have any better recipe :)


I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest (Singapore) – September Month hosted by Grace Phua of Life can be Simple

Hainanese Chicken Rice (海南鸡饭) - (AFF - Singapore #1)

In conjunction with this month's Asian Food Fest, I cooked Hainanese Chicken Rice (海南鸡饭) for weekend lunch. This dish is very well known here in Singapore and it is considered one of the national dishes. You can find Hainanese Chicken Rice almost everywhere in Singapore!

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish adapted from early Chinese immigrants originally from the Hainan province in southern China. It is based on a well-known Hainanese dish called Wenchang Chicken (文昌雞), due to its adoption by the Hainanese overseas Chinese population in the Nanyang area. (Source : Wikipedia)

Bite-sized pieces of blanched white chicken, fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth, delicious ground chilli and spring onion ginger oil. And some likes going with dark soy sauce, some don't. These are common way of eating Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore.

This dish can be simple. But to make it good, you need some patience here. Everything starts from stepping into the market and select the freshest ingredients, picking the right Kampong Chicken (or Free Range Chicken), ensuring the rice is well cooked, and to prepare the condiments well.

My mom always says, Chicken Rice is a simple dish, but this probably can categorized as Kungfu dish (功夫菜). It means the dish is using simple ingredients, but to make it good, it needs alot of attention and every details must be well taken care of.

Chicken should be cooked very lightly, pink inside the bones, not too bloody, and with a gelatinous skin. I'm still learning :)

A lot of effort goes into the preparation of this flavorful dish, with effort of slowly blanching the chicken until it is fully cooked, before immediately soaking it in cold water. This stops the cooking process and ensures that the meat remains tender, and is also why the meat is usually served at room temperature. 

Ingredients 
(Source: My mother-Mdm Chai, her source is from a Hainanese Chicken Rice Stall's owner in SG)

The Chicken

• 1 Kampong Chicken (or Free Range Chicken), estimated 1kg
• 5 thick slice Old Ginger, about 35g
• 2 cloves Garlic, bruised
• 1 sprig Spring Onion, tied into a knot
• 2300ml Water (or more)
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Rendering Chicken Fats 

• 150g Chicken Fats / Skins
• 1 tbsp Peanut Oil / Cooking Oil

The Rice

• 475g Jasmine Rice (95%)
• 25g Glutinous Rice (5%) (Trade secret)
• 500ml Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp Salt
• 8 tbsp Rendered Chicken Fats (Or you can use shallot oil as alternative)
• 4 strands of Pandan Leaf (Screwpine Leaf), tied into 2 knots
• 1 stalk Lemon Grass, lightly bruised
• 4 cloves Garlic, bruised
• 2 thumb sized Old Ginger, sliced
• 2 tsp Planta / Margarine (Optional. I didn't use and I don't recommend) (Trade secret)

The Chilli

• 3 cloves Garlic
• 3 Red Chilli
• 2 Bird Eye Chilli / Cili Padi
• 1 thumb sized Young Ginger
• Juice from 3 to 4 Small Calamansi
• ½ tsp Salt, or more to taste
• ½ tsp Sugar, or more to taste
• ¼ tsp MSG (Optional - I didn't use)
• 1 to 2 tbsp Chicken stock to dilute it. But I'd prefer 2 tbsp Rendered Chicken Oil
• 1 tsp DelMonte Ketchup (Optional) (Trade secret)

Spring Onion and Ginger Oil (Optional)

• 100g Old Ginger
• 25g Spring Onions (or more)
• 2 tbsp Rendered Chicken Oil
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
• ½ tsp Salt, or more to taste
• ½ tsp Sugar, or more to taste
• ¼ tsp Chicken Powder (Optional - I didn't use)

Dark Soy Sauce

• 20g Rock Sugar
• 30ml Water
• 50ml Dark Soya Sauce

Dressing for the chicken

• ½ thumb sized Rock Sugar (Trade secret)
• 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Shao Xing Wine (绍兴酒), also known as Hua Tiao Wine
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil

Garnishing

• Coriander
• Sping Onions
• Cucumber, sliced

Alot of effort goes into the preparation of this flavorful dish yea.

Method - The Chicken

1. Wash and trim any visible fat from the chicken. Cut away the chicken feet. Stuff old ginger, garlic, spring onions into the cavity of the chicken. 
2. Bring water to a boil. Once water is boiled, hold the chicken head (refer to photo), soak the chicken body into the boiling water. With your hand still holding the chicken head, lift the chicken up, and soak it into the boiling water again. Do this for 4 times before you release the chicken head and let the chicken soak into the water completely. By doing this, water will go into the chicken cavity completely. This is to ensure that the whole chicken is well cooked.
3. Keep an eye on the pot. Once you see the water is boiling again, turn to very low heat for 5 mins, and then heat off. Let the chicken sit inside the hot water untouched and covered for 30mins. If your chicken is big, you might need another 5 mins or so. For this part, you have to gauge it on your own. Prepare a tub of ice-cold water, preferably with ice cubes. 
4. Once chicken is cooked, using chopsticks, gently remove the chicken from the water and place the chicken into a tub of tap water, let the tap water running for 10mins. And then, transfer the chicken to the tub of ice-cold water.
5. Once chicken is completely cooled, drain. Apply 1 tbsp Sesame Oil on the chicken skin. Set aside.

Method - Rendering Chicken Fats

1. Roughly chop the chicken fats and skin. 
2. In a small sauce pan, heat up peanut oil, and add in the chicken fats and skin. Let it cook over very low heat for 30 mins (or upto 1 hour) until the liquid fat renders away. Pour off and keep the liquid fats for later use. You may discard the crispy chicken fats.

Method - The Rice

1. Wash the rice well, and soak it for 1.5hrs, drained.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat up 8 tbsp rendered chicken fats. 
3. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass. Fry till fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the oil. 
4. Add one knot of pandan leaf. Fry till fragrant. Remove from the oil. 
5. Turn off the heat. Add in Planta (Optional), drained rice. Give it a good mix, until the rice are all well coated with the flavorful oil. 
6. Transfer the rice into rice cooker. Add in 500ml reserved chicken stock and salt. Stir well. Throw in the 2nd Pandan leaf knot. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or by your preferred method of cooking rice. 
7. Once rice is cooked. Remove pandan leaf knot. Loosen the rice with chopsticks and give it a mix. Cover the rice, and let it sit in the rice cooker for another 10mins before serving. The texture of rice is important and it takes quite a bit of experience to get it done properly. 

Method - The Chilli

1. Combine all chillies, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt in a food processor and blitz away.
2. Add in calamansi juice and 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock to dilute it. But I prefer to use 2 tbsp hot Rendered Chicken Oil instead.
3. Add in MSG and DelMonte Ketchup. Stir well. Set aside.

Method - Spring Onion and Ginger Oil

1. Blitz ginger into paste in a food processor. 
2. Heat the rendered chicken oil and sesame oil in a small frying pan. 
3. When the oil is hot enough (at it's smoking point), add in ginger paste. Fry well for 2 to 3mins. 
4. Add in spring onion, salt, sugar, chicken powder. Give it a quick stir. Heat off. Set aside and leave to infuse. 

Method - Dark Soy Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, boil rock sugar and water under low heat till completely melted and viscous. 
2. Add in dark soy sauce, continue to cook till it thickens. Remove and leave it till completely cooled.

Method - Dressing for the chicken

1. In a small saucepan, boil rock sugar, soy sauce and Shao Xing wine under low heat till completely melted and viscous. Heat off.
2. Add in sesame oil. Stir well. Remove and set aside. 

To Serve

1. Chop the chicken, Chinese-style. Arrange it on a plate. Pour the dressing over it. Scatter with a little coriander. 
2. Serve with hot chicken rice, condiments, broth and garnishes.

Here's some notes that you need take into consideration. 

1. Use a tall and slim pot to cook the water for blanching chicken. This is to ensure you use the minimum amount of water, just enough to submerge the chicken. Like that, you will have a better flavor chicken stock to cook the rice later. 
2. Try to buy Kampong Chicken from Sheng Siong. They sell good and genuine black leg Kampong Chicken.
3. If you think rendered chicken fats is unhealthy, you'd probably didn't know that you actually ate loads of them when you eat chicken rice at the hawker centre. Without them, you won't like your chicken rice. So, just do it. You can get chicken fats / skins from Sheng Siong super mart. Or simply ask the chicken seller at the wet-market. Sometimes they gave it away for free. 
4. 95% Jasmine Rice + 5% Glutinous Rice is really a trade secret. Rice suppliers pre-mixed the rice ratio before they send to the chicken rice stall. 
5. Planta / Margarine too, is another trade secret. It gives the chicken rice a nice color. However, I didn't use it because I'm cooking it for my family. I don't need them. And this also explains why the color of my chicken rice looked abit to the pale side. 
6. It's not surprising that there's MSG in the chilli sauce. But I was amazed when my mom told me that DelMonte Ketchup is used for the chilli sauce. But well, this is for chicken rice stall to do business tho.
7. Spring Onion and Ginger Oil is NOT AVAILABLE in every chicken rice stall in Singapore. Only bare minimum of them is still having this condiment. Some only serve ginger paste with oil. Cost is also one of the factor for them for not maintaining it. Hence, till now, there's an argument point that Spring Onion and Ginger Oil shouldn't exist in Hainanese Chicken Rice dish. Oh well. It's up to you :)
8. Some says dark soya sauce plays an important part for Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice. I confess, and I admit. I forgot to prepare the dark soy sauce. Too busy and too focused on the chicken and the rice. Damn it!
9. Rock sugar makes a difference to the dressing for the chicken. If you could, please stick to rock sugar.
10. The rest is just a matter of blending the ingredients and then adding seasonings, oil and stock. Making these sauces from scratch gives full authenticity to the recipe.

Although Hainanese Chicken Rice stalls in Singapore is selling lip-smacking delicious chicken rice. I'd tried my very best to note down every single thing my mom told me. This recipe may not produce exactly the same result as store-bought chicken rice. This might be due to the recipe that I've written above might have tweaked to adjust to my own agaration (estimation). I see a room to evolve further in years to come.There are some ingredients (eg. Planta/Margarine or MSG or DelMonte Ketchup) is an optional. Since we are cooking for our family, just do it whenever you feels comfortable. If you feel that there's no need to add them, just go without them. I'd prefer original taste.

I personally quite happy with it for now. Maybe I should find a day to try some other well known chicken rice in Singapore (eg. Chatterbox?), or until I found another inspiration for further modifications to it.

Do share with me if you have any better recipe :)


I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest (Singapore) – September Month hosted by Grace Phua of Life can be Simple

Shrimp Roe Wanton Noodles / 虾籽云吞捞麺 - (AFF - HK / Macau #3)

I love shrimp roe noodles. I had this in Macau last month and I'm absolutely in love with it. The noodles itself has mild salty shrimp taste. And when I toss the noodles with the shrimp paste and soy sauce dressing.... Fwoh! Addictive!

Especially when it is cold weather, one serving might not be enough!

I stayed at 新马路 area when I was in Macau. Just walk down the road, I found 喜临门麺家 at 十月初五街38号. This shop sells authentic and traditional Shrimp Roe Noodles (虾籽麺) and some good quality Shrimp Roe (虾籽) as well.

Shrimp roe wanton noodles is common in Macau and also Hong Kong. I had a random chat with the noodles shop owner. I was told that this palm sized hard bundle of shrimp roe noodles is originated in Macau, and this delicious noodles then spread to Hong Kong. Whether it is originated in Hong Kong or in Macau, I didn't specifically do any research on that. I just listen to what the noodles owner say. However, it might be true, because the location of this shop is very near to the sea port. Getting shrimp roe should be easy I guess.

Since I knew Singapore seldom import good shrimp roe noodles and as far as I know, getting shrimp roe in Singapore is not so possible. Without even thinking, I immediately bought some shrimp roe noodles and shrimp roe. So that I could cook for AFF.

I walk down further. And I randomly walked into a noodle shop, and ordered a serving of Shrimp Roe Wanton Noodles (虾籽云吞捞麺). It is not difficult to identify what's in the noodles. Other than the wantons served, it has shallot oil, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, shrimp paste as dressing on the noodles, and then topped with shrimp roe and spring onions. This is the serving that I had in Macau.

Max is very excited to try this noodles. Less than 3 days after we are back to Singapore, he already kept telling me that he wanted to eat shrimp roe noodles. Looking at this piece of dried noodles. One of the special characteristic that distinguish this noodle from many other varieties of Chinese noodle is the salty shrimp roe forming tiny black spots on strips of the noodles.

You don't have to go Macau or Hong Kong just to get shrimp roe noodles. Cold Storage do sell. However, maybe the quality and taste might vary a little.

I also bought a bottle of shrimp paste from Macau. This shrimp paste taste like belacan (The usual shrimp paste found in Malaysia and Singapore), but this Macau shrimp paste is more fine and spread-ably soft texture. If you can't get this, I'd suggest you to use the ordinary belacan, mix with water until it achieve thick dripping consistency, just like dark soy sauce kind of thickness.

Because this noodle has mild saltiness on its own, the most common method of cooking is directly boiling the noodles and drizzle over some sauces for additional flavorings. This noodles is not difficult to replicate. All you need is to go to the Cold storage, buy shrimp roe noodles, get some belacan, and make some wanton to go along.

Ingredient (for Noodles)

• 1 Shrimp Roe Noodles
• ½ tsp Shrimp paste (or belacan), mix with water, until thick dripping consistency
• ½ tsp Dark soy sauce
• 1½ tsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Shallot oil
• 2 tsp Shrimp Roe as topping
• some spring onions as garnishing

This makes one serving of noodle. For dressing wise, do play around with it to suit your taste. You may consider shrimp paste as an optional, as I know it is not easy to get. One serving of noodles only use a few drops of shrimp paste. So, don't stress yourself too much.

Ingredient (for Wanton) 

• about 50g Minced Pork
• 10 Fresh Prawn, deveined, shells removed, cleaned, pat dry, cut prawns into half.
• Some store-bought Shanghainese wanton skin
• ½ tbsp Soy Sauce
• ½ tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Corn flour or Tapioca flour
• a pinch of salt and dash of pepper to taste

This makes about 10 big wantons or more. It depends on the size of your wanton.

Method

1. Put all wanton ingredients together. Using chopstick or fork, stir them vigorously until all ingredients are well mixed and the minced pork are well blended with condiments and looked gluey.
2. Wrap wanton accordingly. Cook wanton in hot boiling water. Once they are done, remove from water. 
3. Cook shrimp roe noodles in hot boiling water until noodles are soft. 
4. Once noodles are cooked, drizzle over shrimp paste, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, shallot oil. And then top with shrimp roe and spring onion as garnishing.
5. Serve noodles with wantons at the side. 

Look at the size of my wanton. They are big. I wrapped 1 prawns in each wanton. Hehe..

And shrimp roe wanton noodles done! Max says this taste really like the one we had in Macau!

Pretty straightforwared eh. As long as you get the ingredients right, I think this is not difficult to replicate. So, do go down to Cold Storage and buy some shrimp roe noodles and make some wantons today!

Do try it out!

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest ( Hong Kong + Macau ) – Jan+Feb Month hosted by Annie of Annielicious Food

Hong Kong Egg Tart / 香港蛋挞 - (AFF - HK / Macau #2)

Both me and Max I loves Hong Kong egg tarts. This pastry-crust filled with egg custard and baked snack were introduced in Hong Kong in the 1940's by Hong Kong-style teahouses (茶餐厅). Hong Kong egg tart is an adaption of English custard tarts, as Cantonese had more frequent contact with the West, in particular Britain back then. 

When we talk about Hong Kong egg tarts, it is widely known that they have two kinds of tart shells. The puff pastry-like (酥皮), or some called it as water and oil pastry base (油皮水皮) and the other one is cookie pastry-like (饼皮), or some called it as butter pastry base (牛油皮).

I remember how HongKong Tai Cheong bakery (泰昌饼家) cookie pastry egg tarts got me crazy during my first visit to Hong Kong. Their egg tarts has the best consistency of both egg custard and the crust. Oh Yumm!!! Look at the snacks I bought from Tai Cheong bakery! Hahaha... No! You are supposed to look at the egg tarts only :)

The one I'm making here is cookie pastry-like (饼皮) egg tart. It takes me two attempts to get it right. The first time, I did the crust right, but the egg custard needs improvement. The 2nd time was much better. Both crust and egg custard's texture is achieved. Comparing to Tai Cheong's egg tart, mine is softer in texture and do fall apart easily.

Ingredients (Makes 6 Egg Tarts)
(Source : Wendyinkk, and iCook.tw as a reference)

for Pastry

• 140g Plain Flour
• 1 tbsp Icing Sugar
• 1 Egg Yolk
• ½ Egg White
• 75g Salted Butter

for Filling

• 75g Castor Sugar or fine sugar
• 75g Hot Water
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 125ml Fresh Milk
• ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
• a pinch of fine salt

Note : Pls do not substitute butter with Margarine, Planta, Buttercup or Farm Cows. They won't be the same. When it comes to recipes that ask for butter, do use butter - SCS, Anchor, President, Lurpak and so on.

Method (for Pastry)

1. Cream butter with icing sugar, egg yolk and egg white. I'm using hand-held mixer.
2. Add in flour and mix well. Once it is well mixed, using hand, press the mixture together and form a dough. If the dough is too wet or oily, do add some flour. Give it a few knead. But don't over-work the dough.
3. Wrap the dough in a clingwrap. Put it into the fridge for 10 to 15mins to let it cool.
4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut pastries into 6 equal portion. The individual dough should weight about 38 grams each. 
5. Roll individual dough into a ball. Using both palm, press the pastry ball into a flat piece. Line dough in the middle of tart cases, lightly press the dough into the tart cases. 
6. Refrigerate the tart cases for 30mins, and it is ready to use. 

Method (for Filling)

1. Add castor sugar into hot water, mix until sugar completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool. 
2. Beat eggs with milk, vanilla essence and salt. Pour in sugar water. Mix well. 
3. Sift egg mixture TWICE to achieve smooth egg mixture.
4. Carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells. 
5. Bake tarts for 25mins at 180 degree, fan ON.

This is how the tart pastry looked like after pastry is pressed on the tart case. When you press the dough into the tart cases, you should make the pastry higher, so as to build a wall at the side, so that the tart will be able to carry more egg mixture.

Take tarts out of the refrigerator, carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells.

Tart shells must be filled with egg fillings fully. So that the result of the egg tart would be nice. I don't like half-filled tarts by the way.

After baked for 25 mins, and tadaaaa!!!

Look at the egg custard. It's sweet, soft, smooth and satisfying. It was buttery and abit at the crumb side, but still hold it's shape. The aromas were mouth-watering, especially when the eggy custard was still piping hot. It melt in my mouth almost instant!

This recipe is a good keeper.

Do try it out!


I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest ( Hong Kong + Macau ) – Jan+Feb Month hosted by Annie of Annielicious Food

Famous Shatin Chicken Congee / 驰名沙田鸡粥 - (AFF - HK / Macau #1)

This is my first post for Asian Food Fest for Hong Kong / Macau. I'm replicating Hong Kong's famous Chicken Congee from Shatin, originated by a well-known congee shop named Keung Kee (强记沙田鸡粥).

I was in Hong Kong last week. It was cold on the Christmas eve. We didn't go for feast on the eve of Christmas. Max brought me all the way to Shatin just to eat 强记鸡粥 instead, because I had been talking about it since months ago. It was good. And here (below photo), this is the actual 强记鸡粥. The one above is my replication.

If you watch TVB show or dramas, you probably know 沙田鸡粥 Shatin chicken congee, as it always appear on TV since 80's. If you've been to Shatin for Keung Kee chicken congee (强记鸡粥), you will know why people come back for it's congee. The congee texture is silky smooth and chicken pieces are nice to eat as they are well marinated with salt.

Congee is well known as one of Hongkie's supper choice. Usually, congee shops in Hong Kong will open till midnight or more than that. For 强记鸡粥, they open till 3am.

I had been asking around, included two Hongkie friends of mine, just to find out more on how to cook up a pot of good Hong Kong style congee. The silky smooth, gluey and creamy kind of white porridge, which we usually called it as 明火白粥 'ming foh bak zhok'. I even tried a few congee stall in Hong Kong. Actually, almost all of them are good. The difference is probably whether the chef will add MSG into their pot of white beauty or not.

After I finished my congee at 强记鸡粥, I peeped into their kitchen, and saw a big bag of Jasmine rice (茉莉米) and a small bag of glutinous rice (糯米) at the side. For instance, I have two questions in my mind. And I ask my Hongkie friend for answer.

1) 澳洲丝苗米 is supposed to be the most ideal rice grain to cook up a pot of good Hong Kong style porridge. But how come 强记 used 茉莉米 instead?
Answer : Maybe it is due to cost. 强记 expanded to 22 outlets in Hong Kong now. 澳洲丝苗米 is much more expensive.

2) What has that bag of 糯米 got to do with the 茉莉米? Are they mixed together in order to cook up their successful pot of porridge?
Answer : 糯米 probably has got nothing to do with that pot of porridge. To cook up a good pot of 明火白粥, flame control and long cooking time is the main factor.

In order for me to cook a pot of reasonably good congee, I think it is important for me to understand ahead. I fell sick after I came back from Hong Kong. And this gives me perfect reason to cook congee! I love congee by the way.

I walk to the nearest Giant and bought a fresh kampung chicken at S$7.50. This chicken is skinny. And it smells good after it is cooked. I kinda like it! It is not easy to find a good kampung chicken (as in real kampung chicken) in Singapore nowadays.

Although it is just a pot of congee. But in order to cook it properly, I won't pretend that this is easy. Ingredients are simple tho. All you need here is abit of patience and time.

Recipe (Serves 4 to 6)
(Source : 沙田鸡粥 with modification)

• 150g Jasmine Rice (茉莉米), or 澳洲丝苗米 for better choice
• 4500ml Water, or more
• 1 Fresh Chicken, preferably Kampung Chicken
• ½ tsp Salt + 1½ tbsp Salt (I'm using Sea Salt)
• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
• a thumb sized ginger, finely julienned
• some spring onions

Note : 

1. If you have 澳洲丝苗米, please use it as it is better choice. In Singapore, we can't get 澳洲丝苗米. So, I can only use Jasmine rice.
2. The ratio between rice and water is around 1 : 30, or more water.
3. You need a stainless steel pot with high in body for ideal congee cooking.
4. Of course, you need to go to the market to get a fresh chicken early in the morning.

Method (for chicken)

1. Boil 4500ml water in a pot. Once water is boiled, hold the chicken head (refer to photo) and soak the chicken body into the boiling water. With your hand still holding the chicken head, pull the chicken up, and soak it in again. Do this for 4 to 5 times before you release the chicken head and let the chicken soak into the water completely. By doing this, water will go into the chicken body completely. This is to ensure that the chicken is well cooked too.  
2. Keep an eye on the pot. Once you see the water is boiling again, heat off, and let the chicken sit inside the hot water untouched and covered for 15mins. If your chicken is big, you might need another 5 mins. For this part, you have to gauge it on your own. 
3. Prepare a tub of ice-cold water, preferably with ice cubes. Once chicken is cooked, using chopsticks, gently remove the chicken from the water and place the chicken into the ice water. 
4. Once chicken is completely cooled, drain. Apply 1½ tbsp salt inside out, and all over the chicken. Set aside and let it marinade. 

Note : It is highly advisable to marinade the chicken overnight (about 8 hours or so), because I knew 强记's one is marinated very well. You have to plan your time. Maybe you can cook the chicken the night before. Marinade it, and keep it in the fridge for the next day morning use. The longer the chicken gets marinated, the better the flavor it is. For me, I'm eating it on actual day. So, I marinated for about 5 to 6 hours only. Not good enough, but still fine :)

Step 2 : Hold the chicken head and soak the chicken body into the boiling water.

Step 3 : Gently remove the chicken from the water and place the chicken into the ice water.

Method (for congee)

1. Wash rice and drained. Add in ½ tsp Salt and 1 tbsp Cooking Oil to marinade the rice. Marinade it for 2 hours. Or at least 1 hour if you don't have time. 
2. With the water that I used to cook the chicken, reheat it under high heat. Once it is boiled, add in marinated rice. Still under high heat, let it boil for 1 hour without lid.  
3. After 1 hour, reduce heat to medium high and let it boil for another hour. You may add some water in-between if you want. But don't forget to give it a stir.
4. Once porridge is cooked, add in some ginger, and salt to taste. Give it a stir. 

Note :

1. It is important to use high heat to cook the porridge at the beginning. When the water boils under high heat, the rice grain dances in the water. And this explains why the porridge won't stick at the bottom when high heat is used.
2. I cook my porridge for 2 hours only. I knew it is not enough. To boil a pot of good Hong Kong style porridge, you need at least 4 hours. But I think it only makes sense to boil it for 4 hours if I'm cooking for 12 or more. Agree?

Step 2 : Add marinated rice into the boiling water.

To Serve

1. Chop marinated chicken into pieces. Place it into a claypot. Add more ginger if you want. 
2. Pour hot porridge over. Put the claypot on flame and bring the congee to a boil. 
3. Garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately.

Put the claypot on flame and bring the congee to a boil. 

And Shatin Chicken Congee.... DONE!

The texture of the congee is pretty well cooked, although the cooking time is 2 hours only. I have to admit that my congee is not as smooth as compared to 强记's one. But it is indeed creamy and glossy. I like it! The two hours stove cooking is worth it! And oh! I have to confess... I always use rice cooker to cook my porridge by the way. It is the lazy way. But for this 明火白粥, I can't.

Max who's not a congee fan, tells me that my chicken congee is as good as 强记's one. I know he's lying. Hahaha... I know. Not 100% of course, but at least there's 70% to 80% similarity. I'm glad :)

Do try it out!


I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest ( Hong Kong + Macau ) – Jan+Feb Month hosted by Annie of Annielicious Food

Asian Food Fest #4 (Jan+Feb 2013) : Hong Kong + Macau

Hello 2014!!! Happy New Year everyone!

Thanks to all who have participated in the West Asia Food Fest last month. You may check the round up of all the entries over at Shannon's blog.

I will be the host for the 4th Asian Food Fest. I really have to thank Wendy for the opportunity. This time, it is a little bit special, because the 4th Asian Food Fest will goes on for TWO months instead of the usual one month affair. And, I will be hosting the combination of Hong Kong (香港) and Macau (澳門).

Interesting eh? So, you must support lah! Haha...

Hong Kong has many nicknames, but most famous is 东方之珠, literally "Pearl of the orient". It was named according to the shiny city lights from both sides of Victoria Harbour and the high rise buildings. Ask anyone around you, I assure you, almost everyone knows Hong Kong is famous with it's paradise of shopping, eating and City of Life.

So, how does Hong Kong linked to Macau? They are almost neighbors because they are just an hour ferry ride away from Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal.

Macau is well known as one of the world's biggest gambling centre. During the olden days, Macau was rented to Portugal by the Chinese Empire as a trading port back then. And Macau resident, also known as Macanese has its unique cultural combination of Chinese and Portuguese. Lots of tourists swear that Macau serves yummy Portuguese food.

Hong Kong Cuisine

Hong Kong cuisine is mainly influenced by Cantonese cuisine since 1920's. In 1949's, Shanghainese and western cuisine influence kicked in, and this is also, due to Hong Kong's past as a British colony and long history of being an international city of commerce. From the roadside stalls to the most upscale restaurants, you can find unlimited variety of food in every class. Probably due to the combination and complexity in cultural influence, international gourmet expertise have given Hong Kong the reputable labels of "Gourmet Paradise".

Hong Kong homes and kitchens tend to be small due to a high population density. Modern people are often too busy to cook. Hence, take-out and dining out is very common. From walled village (围村) dishes to Hong Kong-style teahouses 茶餐厅 and dai pai dong 大牌档, the true flavours of Hong Kong are revealed in its indigenous food, and the way it is prepared, served and eaten. So, what's the "Must Eat" food when I go Hong Kong? That's of course Dim Sum, Chinese Barbecue, Late Night Eats and alot more.

SIGNIFICANT HONG KONG FOOD

Dim Sum (点心) - It means ‘touch your heart’ and with as many as 150 items on a restaurant menu, and 2,000 in the entire range, it is a challenge to not find something you love or something you could make. Going for dim sum is known as yum cha (饮茶), which literally means ‘drinking tea.’ Usually a brunch or lunch affair, it is a common form of family, co-worker and other group get-togethers.

Chinese Barbecue, known as siu mei (烧味). It is impossible to miss this cuisine in Hong Kong because after the highly-seasoned meats are roasted on spits over an open fire or in a rotisserie oven, they are hung inside the restaurant and visible from the street. You’ll see it hanging in fast-food chains, high-end restaurants and supermarkets. Chinese barbecue restaurants usually have highly flexible menus that allow you to pair your roast meats with rice, noodles or rice noodles. Combo plates enable solo diners to sample several meats in one meal.

Late Night Eats (筲夜) - In Hong Kong, late night eats is very common. The factors include the 24 hour nature of this fast paced city and the tendency of its industrious population to work late into the evening. Whatever the reasons, if you get on the Hong Kong clock and schedule your meal a bit later, you’ll be able to experience some of the city’s truest flavours. From the traditional street stalls called dai pai dong (大牌档) to the late-night hotel buffets, just about any type of food can be found late at night. Some of the most popular night-time eats include Chiu Chow da lang (潮州打冷), Chinese desserts, hotpot, noodles and congee. Look for these, and you’ll probably find a bustling nighthawk venue.

Hotpot (火锅) - Eating is often a social experience. Nothing demonstrates this better than diners huddled around a pot of boiling meats and vegetables on a chilly winter evening. Although hot-pot-for-one makes this style of eating a possibility for any occasion, traditionally hotpot is always a group event. In uniquely Hong Kong ingredients, wonton are usually added into the pot. 

NOODLES AND CONGEE

Noodles and congee (rice porridge) are often served under the same roof. Some of the more traditional restaurants that serve both will have two open kitchens flanking the entrance. One kitchen will be dedicated solely to making congee, the other to making noodles.

Congee ranges from the plain starchy variety to the lighter versions that include vegetables and meat and even hotpots in which the ingredients are cooked in a congee soup. The huge variety of noodles and congee available can be enjoyed 24 hours a day in the city. In fact, these are popular Late Night Eats (筲夜)

Cantonese-style Congee (广东粥) - Congee, or rice porridge, is found all over China. However, it is unlikely that anyone puts more effort into congee than the people of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong. Raw ingredients are put in continuously boiling rice porridge until they become soft and their flavours are infused in the entire mixture.


Chiu Chow-style Congee (潮州粥) - From Chaozhou in Guangdong Province, Chiu Chow people have brought their distinct dialect and cuisine to Hong Kong. The difference can be seen in their fresh-seafood renditions of congee, such as the baby oyster congee.

Wonton Noodles (云吞麺) - Noodle strips made from rice, this is a staple food of South China and Southeast Asia. Their versatility and flexibility mirror the characteristics of Hong Kong’s people. Traditionally, bite-sized wontons (a kind of Chinese dumpling) are served in an aromatic stock with noodles that are springy to the bite. Ideally, the wontons will be filled 70 per cent with shrimp and 30 per cent with pork.  

Stir-fried Rice Noodles with Sliced Beef (干炒牛河) - Noodles are narrow strips of dough, usually made from eggs and flour. They are prepared in a staggeringly huge amount of ways in Hong Kong, but stir-frying them is one of the most popular cooking methods. Stir-fried noodles with soy sauce and sliced beef is one of the most common renditions of noodles in this style.

Cart Noodles / Tze Zai Meen (车仔麺) - Cart noodles are the best choice for fellow Hongkies when they need some late night eats. Varieties of noodles type, and mix and match the ingredients. This started as a street hawker meal in the 1950s. The ability to choose the number and types of ingredients offered an inexpensive meal.

SNACKS

Snacking in Hong Kong is a diverse business, with everything from slush drinks and egg tarts to octopus balls available on the streets. Graze the way around Hong Kong for a really local experience. 

In Hong Kong, snacks are usually sold in restaurants or from take-away windows on the street. The entire repertoire is vast, but here are some classics:

Pineapple Buns (菠萝包) - This bun contained no pineapple and earned its name because its chequered top resembles the skin of a pineapple. The top half of the bun is made from cookie-type dough, while the bottom is made from Chinese-style bread dough, which tends to be softer and sweeter than Western bread. 

Egg Tarts (蛋挞) - A pastry-crust filled with egg custard and baked. This popular Hong Kong snack probably originates from English custard cakes. Some are made with cookie dough while others have a flaky pastry. The latter are often referred to as Portuguese egg tarts.

Wife Cake (老婆饼) - A bun filled with sweet winter melon paste. Legend has it that when the winter-melon puffs made by a woman in Guangdong Province were highly praised in public, her husband proudly declared that there were his wife’s cakes. The name ‘wife cake’ stuck. 

Mini Egg Puffs / Egglets (鸡蛋仔) - Sweetened egg batter grilled in a mould to make puffs. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. These days it comes in a range of flavours, including chocolate, strawberry and coconut. 

White Sugar Cake (白糖糕) - Originating in Shunde, Guangdong province, this traditional pastry is made by steaming a dough mixture of rice flour, white sugar, water and yeast. It is sweet with some sour notes and has a soft and spongy texture.

Put Zai Ko (缽仔糕) - Often translated as ‘sticky rice pudding’, put zai ko is typically made of rice flour and red beans. These ingredients are put in a small china bowl. When the pudding sets, it can be removed from the bowl on a small stick and eaten like a popsicle. 

URBAN FOOD

When we talk about urban food, we usually think of Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, speed and efficiency are expected and demanded. 

Hong Kong-Style Teahouses (茶餐厅) and local fast food chains are the one. They serve Chinese and localised Western dishes under five minutes! Baked pork chop rice is one of the signature dish. Instant Noodles which usually called "yat-ding" (一丁) or some preferred dried Instant Noodles "lou ding" (捞丁) are also common in Hong Kong-Style Teahouses. And yea, some of them expect you to eat them fast too! So that the next customer can have your seats. This always happens. Haha...

(Photo Credit : Good Life Good Times)

Although stir-fries (煮炒) are a humble home dish that can be found anywhere. But to make a good stir-fry, the chef has to have excellent cutting skills and ensure there is sufficient heat, precise seasoning and quick thickening and plenty of 'wok hei' (the subtle combination of aroma and taste that a well-used wok imparts to food). It won't be hard to find a good stir fry in Hong Kong. Typical 'dai pai dong' (大牌档) serves some of the best stir fries. Sweet and Sour Pork is probably one of the Cantonese-style dish that is common to tourists. 

(Photo Credit : Discover Hong Kong)

RURAL FOOD

Some Hong Kong's early inhabitants lived in walled-villages (围村) in the present-day New Territories (新界). The walled villages until today, remain it's tradition and so does the unique cooking styles of their residents. I have a Hong Kong friend who grew up in walled village and she shared with me about it. Walled village food puts a strong emphasis on freshness and on eating ingredients that are in season. This type of cuisine is typically rustic and hearty, although more exotic and creative interpretations are also available.

Photo Credit : China Daily USA

The most notable walled village dish is called 'poon choi' (盆菜), or 'big bowl feast'. A huge amount of ingredients are layered in a large bowl and eaten communally. One big bowl feast could include pork, beef, lamb abalone, chicken, duck, shrimp, crab, various mushroom, chinese radish and tofu in none to 12 layers. That's enough to satisfy a group of ten people. The ingredients are not mixed. The bowl's contents are eaten layer by layer. 

'Poon choi' (盆菜) has become a food experience unique to Hong Kong and is listed as part of the city's intangible cultural heritage. 

One very interesting finding during my trip to Hong Kong Last week. I found rural food in urban area! I found 'gow zai fun' (狗仔粉), literally puppy noodles if you want it to be translated. This was found in 1960's street food. Hong Kong's economy was bad back then, 'shun tak' (顺德) people used hot water and rice flour to make some sticky noodles to keep their stomach full. The noodles are hand made, and it's shape looked like puppy's tail, and hence, they named it 'gow zai fun'. To cook the noodles, dried shrimps (虾米), preserved turnips (菜脯), pork lard bits (猪油渣), chinese mushroons (冬菇), and other condiments are used. It's simple and I'd guarantee you that this is so so so so delicious! I asked my Hong Kong friend about it, and they told me that this is now considered as a rural food and can only be found in villages area. I'm surprised that I see this in Yau Ma Tei (油麻地) area! I'm totally hooked with this old-fashioned food.

Macanese Cuisine

Macau's cooking consist of a blend of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines. Many unique dishes resulted from the spice blends that the wives of Portuguese sailors used in an attempt to replicate European dishes. Its ingredients and seasonings includes those from Europe, South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, as well as local Chinese ingredients.

Typically, Macanese food is seasoned with various spices and flavors including turmeric, coconut milk cinnamon and bacalhau (Portugese dried and salted cod) that gives special aromas and tastes. It is not difficult to understand that Macau has its renowned for its flavor-blending culture, and modern Macanese cuisine may be considered a type of fusion cuisine. Pork chop bun, ginger milk and Portuguese-style egg tart are the very popular modern food in Macau. Ask any tourist who went Macau before, they will be able to tell you "Yes! Must try pork chop bun and Portuguese-style egg tart!!!"

Yea, I tried both when I'm in Macau.

The Portuguese egg tart is Macau's most famous food. It consists of flaky pastry shell, with a rich, sweet egg custart filling with a consistency similar to Crème brûlée. A caramelized top plays an integral role in the taste. Everywhere from restaurants and hotels to street food vendors sells them.

Pork Chop bun is another well-known Macau street food. It is literally a seasoned pork chop on a bun. The pork is incredibly tender and flavorful, rests in a piggy bun, which has a crunchy exterior, soft center and a good chew that gives you a simple but full of satisfaction.

Serradura, the not-so appealing name for a dessert that translates from Portuguese as "Sawdust". It is much loved dessert in Macau. It is a waste that I didn't get to taste it when I'm in Macau last week. It is a chilled pudding, in a semifreddo style. It is basically a layered dessert of sweet biscuits crushed to resemble sawdust, cream, condensed milk and vanilla.

(Photo Credit : Tra News) 

Almond cookies are also well known in Macau. They can be found everywhere. One of the best known places to get them is Koi Kee Bakery, with numerous of branches. It's almond cookies are baked on the premises, and have gritty texture and nutty flavor, made with mung bean flour. 

  (Photo Credit : A Coffeeholic Travel Tale)

I took a bus that takes me 31 bus stop journey just to visit a Portuguese restaurant. I was told that their Portuguese dishes are great. Throughout the dinner, these are the two dishes that attracts me. Drunken Steak and Macanese roast chicken. Don't ask me what's the actual name of the dish. This is what it's stated on the menu, and the waitress claimed that it is traditional food. If you know these two dishes, do let me know.

Shrimp Roe Noodles (虾籽麺) - You may call this grey area. Because both Hong Kong and Macau serves this noodles. I found a small shop sells dried shrimp roe noodles and I bought a few packet home. With my conversation with the shop owner who'd at her age of 70 years old, she said that Shrimp Roe Noodles is originated from Macau. How true? I'm not sure. If you know, pls tell me. I only know that this is really good. Shrimp roe noodles are well cooked, drizzle with some shrimp paste sauce, oil, some soy sauce and then topped with shrimp roe and green onions. It's so yumm!

Despite all those signature food featured all over the social media, I do realized that Chinese food in Macau is actually the same in Hong Kong. Typical noodles and congee, egg tarts, polo buns, and the list goes on. 

So, remember... If you wants to cook Macau dishes, do try to cook some famous and signature Macanese food ok? :)

Sites and Food Blogs dedicated for your reference : 

Hong Kong Cuisines
Cantonese Style Congee - Taste Hong Kong
Sha Tin Chicken Congee - 沙田鸡粥 at Youtube
Puppy Noodles 狗仔粉 - Wonderful Sky
HK Style Wanton Noodles - Steamy Kitchen
HK Egg Tart - Kitchen Tigress
HK Egglets 鸡蛋仔 - Christine's Recipe
White Sugar Cake 白糖糕 - Wendyinkk
Polo Bun 菠萝包 - Grace Kitchen Corner
Stir Fried Clams with black bean sauce - Christine's Recipe
HK Zha Jiang Noodles - Christine's Recipe 
Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Noodles - Christine's Recipe
Macaroni Soup with Ham (火腿通心粉) - Christine's Recipe
HK Sweet Bun / Pai Bao (排包) - Christine's Recipe
HK Turnip Cake (香港萝卜糕) - Vio Kitchen
Water Chestnut Cake (马蹄糕) - Christine's Recipe
Here's a list of HK dishes (香港街头小吃) by Maise Kitchen - 香港街头小吃

Macau Cuisines
Almond Cookies (杏仁饼) - Debbie Adventure
Almond Cookies (杏仁饼) - Daima Kitchen
Minchee Macau Meat Hash - Salon.com 
Pork Chop Bun 猪扒包 - Cook4YourMan 
Almond Cookies - Lily Wai SekHong
Serradura - My Buttery Fingers 
Macanese Chicken (葡國雞) - Open Rice

These are the few references I found. I'm not sure about the accuracy tho. Do some homework and google more. You may find some better recipe than this. 

TO JOIN

1. Who can join? Anyone can join.
2. Prepare a dish (sweet or savory) that is from West Asia, be it old time favorites, modern goodies or dishes that has been localized. Remember to take photos of the finished product and if possible, the preparatory process as well.
3. Provide recipe that is credited (from books, internet, friends or family or your own, be specific). Submissions without stating recipe and/or sources will not be accepted for all forms of submission.
4.Submit your entry latest by 28th February 2014.

TO SUBMIT

1.Bloggers
a. Prepare a dish (sweet or savory) that is from Hong Kong or Macau
b. Blog about it from 1st January 2014 – 28th February 2013.
c. Include the caption below your blog post
“I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Hong Kong + Macau (Link to AFF Page http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/p/asian-food-fest.html), hosted by Annie from Annielicious Food (Link to this page http://annieliciousfood.blogspot.sg/2014/01/asian-food-fest-4-janfeb-2013-hong-kong.html)”
d. Submit your entry via the Linky provided at the end of this blog post.

2. Facebook Users
a. Like the Asian Food Fest Facebook page
b. Prepare a dish (sweet or savory) from Hong Kong or Macau
c. Take a picture and upload it into Asian Food Fest Facebook page on the timeline.
d. Provide recipe with picture.

Bloggers can submit their previous blog posts on Japanese dishes they have prepared to Facebook, but please state “OLD BLOG POST“. Anyone that has made or baked a Middle Eastern dish and have a picture and recipe can submit to Facebook. It does not have to be a recently done dish. These Facebook entries will hopefully provide inspiration and motivation for other folks to cook them.

3. Non-Facebook users and Non Bloggers
Email a picture of the dish together with the credited recipe to (mwmannie@yahoo.com) latest by 28th February 2014 by 11.59pm (Singapore and Malaysian time).

A Round Up will be done for all blog entries and emailed in entries on 2nd March 2014. YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SEND IN YOUR ENTRIES EARLY AS I WILL EXPECT LOTS OF ENTRY SINCE THIS WILL ON-GOING FOR 2 MONTHS! :)

For bloggers, only new entries made in your blog within the stipulated period with complete recipe and/or recipe links/references would be accepted. For non-bloggers, only entries complete with recipe and/or recipe links/references would be accepted.

Submit your posts (blogged 1st Jan - 28th Feb 2013) below :